Andi Fawcett

Andi Fawcett is a singer/songwriter who has been winding her way around greater New England for over 10 years. Currently based in Portland, Maine, she has found the “miniature Boston” music scene that Portland boasts to be the perfect place for her writing and performance to evolve. Having played in various projects, ranging from alternative rock (velvis) to a jam-based groove session (aptly named Relish Gruv), Andi has had the opportunity to shape her songwriting skills around a variety of music genres, collecting the Portland Phoenix’s Best Female Vocalist nod for two consecutive years – along the way.

A few years back she began to delve into much more personal, intimate songwriting along the acoustic vein. Blending her folk lyrics over a pop format, Andi combines her Ani Difranco influence with her own style of straightforward, melodic arrangements. “I’ve grown more comfortable in my writing. I’m no longer over thinking about what I really want to say. I finally realized I don’t have to write something that’s profound. It just has to be honest.” Honesty and raw emotion were at the core of Andi’s debut album, “Say it anyway” – a heartfelt record that didn’t hide behind intricate guitar riffs or drum tracks. It speaks on an organic level to all facets of life with Fawcett’s voice coaxing the listener into the corner of her thoughts.

Alongside her acoustic ventures, Fawcett fronts a straight up pop/rock band, Doubting Gravity. Formed in 2005, DG is the product of a meeting of the minds and music stylings between Fawcett and Dave Henault (drums) .Henault has his degree in percussion from USM, a love of the no boundary feel of jazz mixed with the grit of a 311 style groove, along with ample experience as the drummer in Sly Chi, a local funk/soul staple on the Portland scene. The two met their match on bass in the form of Josh Prescott, a recent graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a major in composition. Mike Allen, has recently rounded out the group on lead guitar, mixing in depth and texture while harmonizing on background vox. The band also backs up Andi on her solo efforts. “The boys manage to take my songs and marry them with these cool, complex rhythms, riffs and bass lines. They’re always pushing the envelope, trying new things, keeping us fresh and on our toes, but at the same time, allowing the song to breathe as it should. I’m so lucky to be able to work in this environment. They’ve taken my songwriting to a new level.”

As for how the future looks – Andi’s ultimate goal is to “have the career of a Patty Griffin/Ani Difranco hybrid. I want to be a professional songwriter – sell my songs to other artists – but still perform as often as possible. “Between DG and her solo shows, Fawcett is looking to break out of the northeast and begin to bring her music to all sides of the country – and beyond.

The Band

About

Doubting Gravity isn’t your average rock group.

Fusing together an array of influences, ranging from pop arrangements, folk inspired lyrics and straight up rock and roll, they have managed to put together a setlist that holds a nostalgic feel of 90’s alternative rock combined with a pop song formula.